The Land of the Rising Sun
by Simplicity.Loved
Summary: She wanted peace so she went to a place of her childhood, where no one could find her. She practiced till the sunset. The soothing orange rays made her forget everything. She just smiled and loosen her braids. She felt happy and content without him. And yet... [One-Shot] Ryoma x Sakuno.


I remember watching Prince of Tennis a long time ago.  
I felt in love right away with the Ponta Pair.  
This is my first English FanFiction.  
**I do not own Prince of Tennis**, if I did; I think it would turn into a Shoujo pretty fast.

* * *

**Land of the Rising Sun.**

-Pok-

A sweat dripped down her forehead. She smiled.

Some girls disliked sweating, but to Sakuno, it was a pleasant feeling. It's the transition between hard work and the peace of mind that comes afterwards. Nothing could replace that feeling and she understood why it was so satisfying to train hard, just like her sempai.

And _him_.

She shook her head and ignored that last through.

It has been a while, a long while, an eternity that he has left for the States. Or at least, that's what she thought.

If he was around, he would say that her hips are too wobbly and her hair too long. But he was not around and it felt somehow empty.

-pok-

Sakuno smacked with full force the tennis ball against the wall. She frowned.

He was not around to criticize her anymore. He did not know her. He did not like her. She just had that feeling, so she assumed it and moved on. Or tried to. She tried really hard.

She smacked the ball again.

Yet, it always made her happy to think that he would only tell her, that her hair was too long. He barely has spoken to other girls beside her during his stay at Seigaku.

-pok-

She sighed, it doesn't matter anymore. Her focus snapped and the ball headed towards a wild bush on the side. She walked towards the bush and looked around. She sighed again; she just lost another tennis ball.

_It's time to go home, I guess._ She said to herself, placing her racket in the bag. Then something it caught her attention; another racket was in the bag, she forgot to take it out before leaving home. No wonder her bag was heavier than usual.

It was Ryoma's red racket. Wondering why it was there in the first place, she took it out and took a good look at it. The colour was beautiful: A flamboyant red, the rim is in good quality, but showing signs of use, decorated with little crevices of past tennis battles. She smiled as she lifted it up high, to see the racket glowing under the sun.

She felt suddenly childish, like a little child holding a trophy. Well, it was like a trophy in a way. He did notice her after all, and liked her enough to ask her to keep his racket till he returns. She blushed. It didn't mean anything, she thought.

Her attention then shifted to her surroundings. She liked this spot very much, with the abandoned buildings and the forests shelters the ruins of unknown establishments. She came here since when she was young, to picnic with her family, so there was no way she would get lost.

_If he was around, he would remind me that I have no sense of direction. _

She pressed her lips and put back the red racket in the bag. _Oba-chan will be worried if I don't get home soon._ It was almost supper time after all and the sun was setting down.

She placed the bag against the wall and looked around her to make sure she didn't forget anything.

She glanced at her spot one last time, ready to leave, but she couldn't. It was twilight.

The orange sun glowed with magnificence, coloring the clouds and the atmosphere and making Sakuno speechless.

She remembered when she was younger; she used to play tennis with grandma. Her favorite moment would be when the sun sets, putting end to their hard work and welcoming them with the warmth and beauty. She would just sit and sip her juice, looking at the sky and enjoying the silence.

She also liked that moment because the rays would reach grandma's hair, making it shinier than usual.

With that thought, she freed her braids. The wind gently blows towards her direction, making the leaves rustle and her hair wiggle a bit. It was soothing and pleasant. She felt happy and content.

_I could be happy without him. I never played tennis to get his attention or impress him in the first place. _Tennis was a part of her, just as it was a part of Ryoma. She might not have developed her skills, but she didn't mind. She enjoyed it as a past time, a family time.

She was not gifted, but she didn't mind the hard work. It actually brought happiness to her, as it made her forget all her worries and loneliness.

Even though Oba-chan and Tomoka were there for her, she often felt lonely.

It doesn't matter anymore. The twilight was coming to its end and the wind seemed a bit colder. She turned around and gasped.

_What is _he_ doing here?_

Her eyes widen.

-R-Ryoma-kun?

-Your hair is too long and hips too wobbly.

_Well, I never heard _that _before._

She just stared at him. It has been a year. He was probably sixteen. He had his California tan, suggesting long outdoors practices. His dark green hair was a mess and enhanced his sharp looking eyes.

-It's not polite to stare.

Instead of the little shy voice that he expected, she just said:

-Ne, how did you find me?

He smirked. He knew she tried hard to stand up for herself against his teasing. He knew that she had a little _something_ for him. He wanted to make sure she still had it.

-Well, your bossy grandmother told me to look for you, right after I came back from California.

-Oh, I will go home now. But thank you, Ryoma-kun.

She picked up her bag and walked pass him without a second glance.

He looked at her and caught her arm, turning her around. Her bag dropped, she lost her balance, and fell right into his chest. _Obviously, I am such a klutz._ She blushed. She bit her lips as she tried very hard to contain her emotions. She couldn't help it. He was her crush after all, after all these years.

-W-why did you do that for?

-Ne, Ryuzaki.

-W-what?

-Why don't you welcome me home? You're not happy to see me?

_He's teasing me._

He smirked.

-Fed your tongue to the cats?

-N-no, of course not!

-Then tell me.

-W-welcome home Ryoma-kun.

-That's not what I want to hear.

-W-what?

-Tell me your thoughts every time you blush.

_He noticed._

-I-I don't want to!

-Then we will never leave this place.

_What? _

She just looked at the dirt path. This was too embarrassing. He was forcing her to confess to him. She wanted to die. Determined to get through it, she whispered:

-I – I..

-Mmm?

She looked down and bit her lips. She kept those feelings to herself for too long anyways. If he did reject her, she would actually feel relieved, because she didn't have to hide them anymore and things would be over, she wouldn't have to suffer any longer.

With courage and the heat rising to her cheeks, she looked up and stared right at Ryoma and said:

-I like you a lot Ryoma-kun.

He looked at her.

She has grown from what he remembered. The scared little lost girl has left place to something more mature, serene and feminine. _Her hair is loose_. She didn't cut it for all those years.

He liked her. He liked the way her brown curls framed her face, how it shined with the sunlight, how her blush made her look so feminine and fragile and how luscious her lips were, pinker than usual, tinted by her work out. He loved how the sun seems to compliment her beauty. He couldn't resist.

With a swift movement, he gently tipped her chin towards him and planted a gentle and soft kiss on her pink lips and said:

-Let's go home, Sakuno.

Her eyes widen. Her heart was about to explode. She was speechless.

He picked up her bag and took her hand and said:

-I don't want Ryuzaki-Sensei to beat my ass…

_Is he teasing me again? Is that why he kissed me? He didn't return my feelings._

-and I want to spend time with you, since you're still so bad at tennis.

He looked away, but still holding her hand and her bag.

She gasped and smiled and said:

-Welcome home, Ryoma-kun.

His lips curled a bit. He was home indeed, with _her_, at the land of the rising sun.

* * *

Inspiration just hit me at 3 AM and now it's 5 AM.  
Oups. Well I hope you liked it!

Please tell me what you think!  
c:

p-s: No, no one proof read it, I am too shy to let anyone know that I am obsessed with this pairing or that I write FanFiction in general.

/hides.


End file.
